Central Bank Governor Fethi Zouhair Nouri said Tunisia is not lacking in human capital or innovative project ideas, but is hampered by a shortfall in productive investment and financing directed toward the real economy.
Closing the 39th edition of the Enterprise Days forum, which has been under way since Friday in Sousse, he stressed that Tunisia needs a collective mobilisation built on four pillars: economic sovereignty, appropriate employment, productive investment and strict governance.
Nouri noted that the national investment rate has held steady at 16% of GDP, adding that only 58% of that total comes from private investment—an level he said is too low to deliver sustained growth.
He also pointed out that between 2022 and 2024, short-term lending rose by 8.1%, compared with just 3.3% for medium- and long-term credit. This trend, he argued, reflects “the sacrifice of productive projects in favour of financing immediate needs.”
The private sector, he added, is characterised by a preference for consolidating hard-won positions and a survival mindset, as well as the underuse of credit lines for small and medium-sized enterprises provided by foreign financing institutions.
To revive investment, Nouri said Tunisia must prioritise renewed investment in industry, services, agriculture, the digital sector, the green transition and the knowledge economy, while taking advantage of available opportunities. In his view, the main threat to investment is not the scale of risks, but “inertia.” “Not investing means falling behind,” he insisted.
Speaking at the annual gathering organised at the initiative of the Arab Institute of Business Leaders, Nouri urged the banking system to channel more resources toward wealth-creating productive investment. This requires placing investment at the heart of the development model and directing credit toward projects capable of generating growth and decent jobs.
He called on banks to show “the courage” to finance more innovative projects.
Nouri reiterated that the Central Bank’s role is to ensure monetary stability—containing inflation, safeguarding the dinar’s stability and supporting the country’s sovereign rating—while modernising its services.
He cited the “EXOP” digital platform (October 2025), dedicated to deposits and foreign-exchange operations, and noted that a new platform, “TRADIS,” is expected to mark a qualitative leap in facilitating financial transactions related to foreign trade. He also underlined the institution’s role in strengthening liquidity in the banking system.
In closing, speaking before an audience of business leaders, company owners, representatives of financing bodies and state institutions, the governor said: “We are ready, and we are counting on you.”
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